Effectiveness of cold water spray and application of lip moisturizer on level of thirst and dry mouth among the patients admitted in the Critical Care Unit: A randomized control trial

This study is a randomized control trial to assess the effectiveness of cold water spray and application of lip moisturizer on the level of thirst and dry mouth among patients admitted in the critical care unit. Patients who met the inclusion criteria will be enrolled from the critical care units by consecutive sampling method. informed consent will be obtained and the procedure will be performed from 8am to 4pm for three days. Initial data for everyparticipant will be collected before the beginning of procedure: demographic data, admitting diagnosis, APACHE IIscore, lab values for serum potassium, sodium, blood glucose, BUN, creatinine as wellas net balance and use of diuretics. Assessment of thirst and drymouth will be done every day for three days before the procedure and  within1 hour after the procedure. Post test assessment will bedone by a person who is not a part of the research team to avoid  researcher’s bias and for post test reliability. Thirst will be assessed using anumerical rating scale (0- 10, where 0= no thirst and 10= worst possiblethirst) and dry mouthwill be assessed usingThe Challacombe Scale of Oral Dryness.